Organization

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1. The IP High Court consists of Litigation Department and the IP High Court Secretariat.

2. The IP High Court consists of a Chief Judge, other judges, judicial research officials of IP cases, court clerks, and court secretaries. Technical advisors may also be involved in IP cases as part-time officials on a case-by-case basis.

  1. Judges
    At the IP High Court, a panel of three judges, or the Grand Panel of five judges conducts proceedings and renders judgments.The Grand Panel is set up when a case contains important issues and it is appropriate to provide unified opinions of the Court on them without delay.
  2. Judicial research officials
    Judicial research officials assigned to the IP High Court conduct researches, by order of judges, on technical matters as required to conduct proceedings and render judgments in cases relating to patents, utility models, and other intellectual property. From April 2005, they may, with permission of the presiding judges, ask questions to the parties during oral arguments or other occasions in order to clarify the facts of the case (Article 92-8 of the Code of Civil Procedure).
  3. Court clerks
    Court clerks attend and record proceedings, manage the progress of the proceedings, prepare and keep case files, assist judges in researching relevant laws and regulations as well as judicial precedents, and carry out other services in proceedings as provided by law.
  4. Court secretaries
    Court secretaries provide judicial administrative services.
  5. Technical advisors
    Technical advisors may be involved , by decision of the court, to assist judges by providing explanation of technical knowledge in cases where their expertise is necessary to clarify issues of the case or to facilitate progress of the proceedings (Article 92-2 of the Code of Civil Procedure). Technical advisors are appointed by the Supreme Court as part-time officials, from among experts such as university professors and researchers of public research institutes who have expertise in various scientific fields.

3. The IP High Court is located on the 17th floor of the Tokyo Court Complex in Kasumigaseki, as a special branch of the Tokyo High Court.

Illustration: Organizational chart: The IP High Court consists of the IP High Court Secretariat (General Affairs First and Second Divisions) and the Litigation Department (Special Division (Grand Panel), First, Second, Third and Fourth Divisions).